A high-tech machine that turns damp wood into seasoned firewood in five days is now running in the New Forest.

Set up by Ed Wallrock and Alice Shaw, Lymington Firewood uses the Fuelwood system in a barn near Boldre.

The machine, one of only 17 globally, cuts, splits, cleans, and dries timber for fireplaces, log burners, and fire pits.

Off-cuts power the drying process, which traditionally took a year.

Ed Wallrock said: "The machine is superb and has transformed the way logs are produced – making it quicker and simpler.

"The product at the end is logs of a correct size for the old coal fires you find across Lymington in people’s houses, and for wood burners.

"They have right angles which create lots of surface area and that is better for burning and also enables easy stacking.

"All the logs are kiln dried and the heat is created by burning the off-cuts and there really is no waste."

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He added that Kiln dried wood has a very low moisture content, of 20 per cent or less, making it easier to ignite and producing a hotter, more efficient burn.

It produces more heat per log making it ideal for home-heating or cooking.

Ed said: "It also burns more cleanly, producing less smoke, soot, and tar build-up in chimneys. This reduces the risk of chimney fires and makes it better for indoor use.

"The sawdust we produce is excellent for equine use and is completely safe because we use only mineral oil on the chainsaw.

"Our logs are sourced from sustainable woods and forests and we can use any type of tree though Ash is our primary product.

"This is our first sustainable season and demand is rising. We also anticipate demand in the summer months because of the increased use of firepits and fire-powered hot tubs."

The surge in log burner popularity has increased demand for high-quality, well-burning logs.

The new business delivers within a ten-mile radius of Lymington and sells through farm shops and other outlets.